Scary incident mars Cavs/Pistons; Kobe can’t beat Charlotte

For some inexplicable reason, while the ESPN announcers were recapping last night’s Cavs/Pistons game as Cleveland was putting the finishing touches on another W, they failed to explore the possibility that Detroit was shaken up by what had happened to Rodney Stuckey, or go into how it affected their play … During a timeout late in the third quarter, Stuckey was coming of the court and said he felt dizzy. He then collapsed on the bench right next to the Pistons’ trainer, and had to be rushed away in ambulance. After that, there was a somber, strange vibe in the arena that even translated through the TV. At the time of the incident, Detroit was up on the scoreboard in a game where they’d led by as much as 21. After Stuckey was taken away, the Pistons lost their lead and the game … Classy move by LeBron to round up his teammates immediately after the final buzzer and join the Pistons’ prayer circle. Last we heard, Stuckey was in stable condition, but it was definitely scary — especially being right around the 20-year anniversary of Hank Gathers‘ death. (ESPN Classic was running a marathon of old Loyola Marymount games the other day.) Stuckey, if you remember, missed a couple games last season following on-court dizzy spells … LeBron (40 pts, 13 rebs) was hobbling on a sore ankle after the game, but when Heather Cox asked him about it, he acted like it was nothing. Then it seemed like Cox was going to wish him a “quick recovery,” but some Cavs employee off-camera must have given her a cold glare, because she switched it up to “continued health.” … Even when Mike is retired, Kobe just can’t get one over on him. For the seventh time in their last nine meetings, MJ’s Bobcats knocked off Kobe’s Lakers, simply outplaying them this time on both ends of the floor. Kobe dropped 26 points and gave Gerald Henderson his rookie initiation when he unveiled one of those off-the-glass-to-himself moves, but once again his teammates didn’t show up. Meanwhile, the ‘Cats were flying all over the place like an underdog college team, pressing and forcing 20 L.A. turnovers … When Derek Fisher‘s contract is up this summer, do you think L.A. will even try to re-sign him? Fisher’s defense is a real problem — Ray Felton was making him look like he had tennis rackets on his feet — and it’s not like Fish is raining shots from the outside (38% FG this season) to make up for it. Of course Fisher has the playoffs to redeem himself, but eventually the Lakers have to think about the future of their PG position … Ric Flair was at the game, clinging to the few blond locks he has left. Did you know Flair is in TNA wrestling now? We had no idea until one of our guys told us he flipped past TNA the other night and saw Flair having an old-man confrontation with Hulk Hogan …

Caron Butler (photo. Douglas Sonders)

Tyreke Evans had a grown-ass man playing D on him, and in the crucial moments of Mavs/Kings, Caron Butler wouldn’t let the rookie forget it. With about a minute left, the Kings were down two when Tyreke (20 pts, 6 asts) tried going to the rack and got stripped by Caron. That set up two free throws for Dirk Nowitzki, then on Sacramento’s next possession, Tyreke turned it over again to Caron before Dirk (31 pts, 12 rebs) hit two more free throws that basically iced it … After Andres Nocioni fouled out late in the fourth, one Mavs announcer said, “I don’t know about you, but I felt like Nocioni fouled out in the second quarter.” His partner said, “It’s almost like summer league, where you get 10 fouls.” Rick Carlisle had been ejected earlier in the game because Nocioni was assaulting Dirk and hardly getting called for it … Chris Bosh was supposed to be back in Toronto’s lineup last night, but reportedly he was watching some Knicks game film beforehand and it gave him stomach pains. Sonny Weems (20 pts, 9 rebs) wasn’t technically Bosh’s replacement in T-Dot’s win, but he was getting so high above the rim to snatch boards and finish dunks and layups, he might as well have been 6-10 … Fundamental flaw in the Pacers’ game plan against Denver: Having Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Dahntay Jones take turns guarding Carmelo Anthony. It just didn’t work. ‘Melo (34 pts) wasn’t just handing out buckets — Jones was too short, Murphy too slow, Dunleavy too weak — he was laughing almost the entire time while doing it. There were stretches where the Nuggets got caught up playing Indiana’s game and taking too many jumpers, but ‘Melo would bring them back to earth by putting his head down and beasting somebody to score in the paint … Other stat lines from Friday: Kevin Garnett posted 22 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals as Boston beat Philly; Kevin Durant dropped 32 on the Clippers in a win; Dwight Howard went for 11 points, 16 boards and 4 blocks while disposing of the Nets; Andrew Bogut put up 19 points, 10 boards and 5 blocks in Milwaukee’s win at Washington; Josh Smith had 29 points, 9 boards, 3 blocks and 3 steals to lead Atlanta past Golden State; and Darren Collison scored 32, but the Hornets lost at San Antonio behind Tony Parker‘s 20 points … We’re glad Jeff Van Gundy was willing to ask what no other announcer wants to bring up. Who has the worse bald spot: Manu Ginobili or Peja Stojakovic? Manu is the originator, but Peja has caught up to him quick since the All-Star break … We’re out like a full head of hair …

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i think kobe intentionally loses in charlotte, like it was one of the conditions included in the deal that sent him to the lakers on draft night

By: quest???

03.06.2010 @ 3:05 AM

nocioni was rapping dirk down low (pause) and the refs dint do shit

By: F.L.A.S.H.

03.06.2010 @ 4:34 AM

As a Laker fan, these games scare me for a few days, but come may and june, they’ll be fine.

TOTALLY OFF TOPIC but when i stumbled onto the nicknames post and saw scola’s picture, it reminded me of the greatest nickname no one remembers, “the houston rockets have one of the best two headed monsters at the power forward position, he’s actually just one player, CarLuis Scolandry!”

By: Willis

03.06.2010 @ 5:29 AM

Ok I’ll Bite. I hate Noce. I hate when he plays, I hate the way he runs like he shit his pants, and I hate his stupid accent. But he was playing decent D on Dirk last night. It only looked like he was fouling because Dirk goes flying around like a tooth fairy at a boxing match. I counted one bad no call the entire game. When the announcers said that right after Ricky CarLOL got ejected, they played the replay of the alleged foul; it was just Dirk trying to go through a stationary Noce with his hands up, and Dirk tripped over nothing and went down like a sniper was in the building. Good no call.

By: That's What's Up

03.06.2010 @ 6:55 AM

Shaggy doesn’t play D that well. If he was all up in Dirk’s biz, and the refs weren’t calling it, that’s on the refs. I do a lot of everything until I hear that first whistle.

Two lines on the Spurs, and one of them is about bald spots – thanks Dime. But I’d throw Nenad Krstic’s “Fade Away” right up there with Manu (2nd) and Peja (The Leader).

By: Flying_Aussie_Dutchman

03.06.2010 @ 6:58 AM

Hope Stucky is ealthy! (Big Piston fan ‘ere), if it was a seizure, i’ve had 2 before… Even tho mine werent that bad,they knock you around

‘Scola = Russell Brand

By: M Intellect

03.06.2010 @ 6:59 AM

LOL @ Carlois Scolandry

By: Mitch

03.06.2010 @ 7:00 AM

I saw KG’s stat line n it read like a 40pt game 4 KB24…my how the mighty have fallen… that used to be KG all day averaging 20 10 n 5!!!!

By: EN FUEGO

03.06.2010 @ 7:05 AM

Larry Brown owns Phil Jackson.

Not really a significant rivalry. But ever since Brown beat Phil in the finals when he coached the ‘Stones vs the Lakers before Kobe and Shaq got divorced. He’s been Phil’s nemesis.

By: jackie moon

03.06.2010 @ 8:37 AM

sick 2 handed dunk c/o tyrus thomas on the lakeshow

By: star_bury

03.06.2010 @ 9:16 AM

Van Gundy brought up the bald spot comparison?

Pot: Kettle, black!

By: Khalvin

03.06.2010 @ 9:35 AM

Trying to be happy about T.Dot win but … it is the knicks you don’t get props for teams your supposed to beat!

But I think that is the solution to any losing streak we fall into, break out the Huskies Uniforms!

…I think Bosh wants to eventually go deep into the playoffs, so I’m not sure T-Mac is someone he should be looking to for advice.

By: SWAT

03.06.2010 @ 11:50 AM

Lol naw y’all got it wrong. Jvg was scoring on manu and peja while jabbing at himself too…it was pretty funny. Thn espn zoomed in on manu’s bald spot! Haha it was not a good look but thy put jvg on blast too. I take it y’all didn’t watch the game.
Detroit was ballin before stuckey went down and stuckey was actually playing really good. Here’s to hoping he’s ok.

By: Mark

03.06.2010 @ 1:24 PM

I’m interested to see what happened to Stuckey since I had an experience like this working out. The media outlets aren’t releasing what it was, and even though I understand the protection of the Pistons’ asset, if anybody (even Dime) finds out, I’d like to know for my own edification.

Best… ‘continued health’ to him.

By: RC

03.06.2010 @ 4:36 PM

Bosh needs to be there to get a win over the Sixers. If not Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson need to step up again like they did against the Knicks. Amir Johnson is a great addition to the team this year. Hedo is just a piece of junk, no defense and no aggressiveness. Demar kinda hit a wall this time of the season he just struggles. They gotta secure the win against the Sixers before going against playoff bound teams. 5th in the east we will see if that holds up within the next week or two.

By: RC

03.06.2010 @ 4:37 PM

Bosh needs to be there to get a win over the Sixers. If not Sonny Weems and Amir Johnson need to step up again like they did against the Knicks. Amir Johnson is a great addition to the team this year. Hedo is just a piece of junk, no defense and no aggressiveness. Demar kinda hit a wall this time of the season he just struggles. They gotta secure the win against the Sixers before going against playoff bound teams. 5th in the east we will see if that holds up within the next week or two.

Speedy recovery to Rodney Stuckey I hope he gets back to 100 percent soon.

By: geoluhread

03.06.2010 @ 6:20 PM

stuckey’s out the hospital and is said to be doing fine. amen to that.